Americans had a wake-up call this week about the nature of Communist China and the existential threat it poses to freedom – not just in Hong Kong or elsewhere in the People’s Republic, but here. The insight came from what might be called “basketball with Chinese characteristics.”

Those repressive characteristics were showcased when Daryl Morey, the Houston Rockets’ general manager, tweeted “Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.” He was swiftly repudiated by his team and the National Basketball Association and obliged to apologize profusely.

The episode is just one example of how the Chinese Communist Party is now imposing its restrictions on free speech in this country and world-wide. It demonstrates powerfully the ambitions of totalitarians to crush liberty globally.

We need not only to fight for freedom by standing with Hong Kong. We need to defend our own right here.